Looks Like I have to Learn German

It appears that my Graduate studies may end up taking me to Austria a couple times. There is a conference next reading week (Feb.) in Innsbruck, and then if things are going well, there may be an opportunity for me to go study there for a few months next year.

Hello good skiing.

The university speaks primarily English, but once you leave the school, the English is almost none existent. So I guess I will have to learn some basic German (Austrians speak a German dialect) between now and then. The problem with that is I am bad enough with English as it is. Let alone German. Back in grade school I had to try to learn French, I was horrible. Je ne French pas. I suck at languages.

I don't even know where to start.

VICTORY IS MINE!

Well, pending passing grades (which should be no problem) I am done my undergraduate in Aerospace Engineering. And let me tell you, it better be worth it.

I start my summer job next week. I will be working that until Sept and then, for some unknown reason, I have decided to do a Masters degree. At least it pays reasonably well.

I just wanted to share. Time to celebrate.

One More Exam

I have one more undergrad exam left. It's about time.

I haven't started studying for it yet (Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems), but it is pretty easy, and my roomate who took the class last year tells me that a monkey could learn CIMS in 2 days and ace the exam. So I should pass.

I watched "Suspect Zero" today. Crap. It wreaks of Se7en, which is a good movie, but this was really slow, and the lead actor wasn't very good at all. I do not recommend it.

I woke up today thinking my exam was at 9. I biked down to school and was sitting outside the gym and there was an extreamly large number of very attractive females. It was then that I knew something was wrong. This doesen't happen in an engineering class. I should have taken psychology. Ends up that my exam was at 2, not 9, so I got 5 more hours to study. Which I used to play Super Nintendo. The exam ended up being really easy. This made me happy.

Bed time. I'll try to post more once exams are done.

A Lesson to All You Kids Out There

Based on a story from CNN.

When you are fortunate and spoiled enough to have a nice car like this:


c/o neueaoutos.ch


Don't fake having it stolen just to get another nice car like this:


c/o seriouswheels.com

You already have it made. Don't throw it all away for insurance fraud.

Don't get my wrong, both are amazing cars, and the Bentley is worth quite a bit more, but come on. My head hurts just thinking about it.

Some spoiled brat out of Seattle faked having his 2002 BMW M3 stolen so he could use the insurance money to buy a Bentley. I would love to have an M3, a Bentley would be nice, but i would be more than content with an M3.

Sorry Badaunt, but I think the greed in American culture is a little more of a problem than the language. This kid is going to have a lot of greed related issues as he grows older. By the sounds of it, his parents aren't helping the issues.

An act of God, or a salt stain.

Some big news out of Chicago.

Some people claim they see an image of the Virgin Mary in a salt stain on the wall of an under pass in Chicago. Some people claim it is a message from God, but if you ask me, some people are really nuts.

My favorite part is the title of the article: "Faithful Call Image On Underpass Wall 'Beautiful', Others Call Image Salt Stain"


c/o NBC News

This is the kind of stuff that makes me laugh at people. I'll admit, it does look a little bit like the traditional picture of Mary, at least the outline. Can't people recognize that this is just a coincidence? Gah, Some people really baffle me.

And who's to say that it is an image of Mary? I can sort of make out a face in the salt stain. It could be anybody's face, wearing a cloak. Mother Theresa, the Pope, the bad guy from "Scream" (1, 2 and 3).

It's funny where people see all these images. Grilled Cheese sandwiches, window reflections, stars (I still haven't figured out most of those constellations, I get the big and little dippers, and sort of Orion, but how they get some of those lions and stuff, I just don't understand).

I took a shit the other day that looked like a devil. Does that mean I am the spawn of satan?

An Apology.

I am going to post the post that everyone hates to see when they go to one of their regular blogs. It is almost worse than no new posts at all. So, for the three or four of you that regularily read this, I am sorry I am letting the postings slip over the past few (and pre-emptivley, the upcoming week or so). Exams have caused my posting to slow down, and those that are posted are short.

A quick, uninteresting update. I am officially going back to where I did my coop position last year. Just for the summer. I may reveal more details about it later. It is a research position at a fairly prestegious place. I am very excited. I also just found out that my grad studies may take me to a conference in austria. This excites me. I have never been to Europe. (or even off of north america). But I have been to Holland and France ;).

I Knew I was Playing those Video Games for a Reason

Daily Planet had a segment today about how video game players make better macroscopic surgeons. This is something I have been trying to convince my parents about for a long time, but they just don't believe me. I will post the link later, it isn't on the DP website yet.

There is now a segment on wholphins (or wolphin). Thats right, a hybrid combination of dolphins and killer whales (which are actually more like dolphins than whales). Sounds like a bad joke. Apparently these mixed species actually occur in the wild. That brings interacial to a whole new level.

UPDATE: Both of the stories above can be found HERE. Daily planet is awesome. Though one of the hosts gets on my nerves a little bit.

Starbucks Should Rot in Hell

because their advertising sure won't. There was a little plastic bag hanging from the mailbox today. Inside was one three panelled pamphlet about the size of a coaster. It was advertising starbucks coffee at home. Now the pamphlet is fine. I will just throw it out with all the other ads that I general just ignore, but the bag seems like such a waste of both money and resources.

If I drank coffee, I would not drink Starbucks. The consumer is paying for that waste. It just makes the price go up.

I'm not a tree hugger, but I am relatively environmentally conscious. It just seems like a waste.

I am not naive enough to think I can make a difference. Nor do I suggest boycotting over something so trivial. I just think it is indicative of something fundamentally wrong with society in general.

Now it has caused me to waste five precious minutes the night before a big exam.

Fuck you starbucks. Thanks for nothing. What a waste.

Are We alone?: Revisitied.

I was just thinking a little bit about an entry I wrote a couple days ago: Are We Alone? I was just thinking about it a little bit more. There are a few other possible outcomes.

Let's say there is an inttelligent cizilization out there, technologically capable of recieving and understanding our message. Who's to say they aren't so far advanced that they will just laugh at those petty humans on that pathetic little planet over there trying to talk to them. It's a possibility. Maybe they don't care about us, or are so sophisticated that we can't understand them.

It is possibly also arrogant of us to think that they use the same senses to communicate as us. Who is to say that there are only five senses, that they don't use smells to talk to each other (one fart for yes, and some BO for no).

I don't know. I'm really just procrastinating. I'll get back to work now.

Money well Spent

I am a big fan of useless research projects.

I'm not going to argue with it, but countless millions of dollars get spent around the world on revolutionary research projects, such as the Aerodynamics of a Frisbee, or The Effects of Country Music on Suicide (I always knew it was bad, but this is news to me). If you haven't been living under an internet rock, you have surely heard of the Ig Nobels, given to research that makes you laugh, then think. Some of the stuff is pretty entertaining. Oh, and I almost forgot about my personal favourite, did you know that beer head follows the laws of exponential decay? Apparently it does, I have just never given it time to occur naturally.

Anyways, the reason I brought this up is this article I found on CNN that talks about how attractive people earn more money on average. This really doesen't surprise me, I think the fact they spent money on this research is more surprising than the results.

The most imporatant result, however, is that "...a "height premium" among white men, with a 1.8-percent increase in wages for every additional inch of height over the national median." Me and my 6'4" body enjoy this particular fact.

Did I mention I just got into grad school where they are going to pay me $18 000 for being a Teaching and Research Assistant and on top of that, I just found out, I'm getting a $15 000 scholarship. It must be because I am tall.

So, in conclusion, I have decided that I rather enjoy stupid research projects, as long as it means I'm going to make more money.

Are We alone?

This past week Daily Planet on Discovery Channel Canada was running a feature where viewers were asked to send in ideas about what message, pictures and sounds should be sent in a broadcast directed at some distant star. Being a house of engineers we of course started discussing the idea of 'aliens' at great lengths.


C/O Daily Planet

Sorry that the promo has already closed, so you can't leave messages, but I think you will soon be able to vote for one of the ones already sent.

There are a few inherent problems with the whole idea. Sure, maybe the alien culture will get the message, but how will the decipher it? We want to send pictures. Do you think they have JPEG format? Maybe it's a GIF, or a BMP. Oh, and don't forget, their copyright laws forbid MP3 encoding, so they won't be able to play the sound.

Now, of course the biggest question is, do Alien's exist?

I think it is awfully arrogant of the human race, knowing what we currently know about the universe, to think that we are alone.

I will say, beyond any doubt, that there are other life forms either currently in existence, or have existed elsewhere in the universe. Based on the vastness of 'out there', I'd bet dollars to donuts (haha, gotta love those expressions you pick up from professors) that there is at least one other intelligent civilisation in existence right now. Probably many more than that. I have no scientific proof for this hypothesis, but I think we'd have to be very narrow minded to think any differently.

I don't know that we will ever meet any of them. Maybe the distances are just too vast, or maybe the timing just isn't right.

Maybe that information beam is being sent to a planet that has, can or will support life. Now, assuming that species has the ability to actually collect and decipher the information, what are the odds that that intelligent and technically advanced civilisation is there right now, or in the time it takes for the info to get there. We have only developed these capabilities in the last 50 or so years. How do we know there wasn't a message for us that passed by 75 years ago.

I hope that in my lifetime we will at least make contact with one of those other life forms that I am almost positive is out there. I think that would be a world changing event. The realization, beyong any question, that we are not alone in the universe. It will change the way people think, and I'm sure the rush to develope a way to meet them would be greater than any other peace time effort.

The only way to prove my theories is to actually find another lifeform. It's one of those things that only time will tell.

But that's just my opinion.

I was Thinking of Getting a Mini.

I was thinking of picking up a Mini Cooper.

How about this one?

c/o ccc

Or this one?

c/o ccc

My roomate sent me this website, he saw it in a commercial on Spike. I'm sure it's just a BMW/Mini Cooper marketing ploy, but it is kind of funny. Check out the Counter Countrfeit Commision. It's stupid but funny.

My favorite quote:

"... the most effective way to spot a fake is by simply checking to see if the vehicle is ugly."

Anyways, I just thought I would share.

Dangerous Waters

Took a little break form studying today to go for a little bike ride and run a couple errands. After I picked up some stuff at the school, I decided to take the scenic route home and bike down the Rideau river because I noticed the water had been higher than usual, even for this time of year.

It was crazy. I have never seen the water so high. I took some pictures and photoshopped them with some pictures from a couple years ago.

The first one is Hog's Back Falls, this is where the Rideau River and Rideau canal split before the head through the Ottawa. This was taken from the top of the control dam. The left is today and the right is a few years ago. The old one was from the fall (Canadian Thanksgiving (thats in October), 2002), but in my five years here, this is the highest I have ever seen, even in the spring.


Hog's Back Falls - (left) April 2005, (right) Oct. 2002

The next couple are looking at my University across the Rideau River. There are always some small rapids here, but if you look at the rocks across the river, you can see that the water goes up 2 or 3 feet higher on the rocks in this years pictures. The right hand pictures are from April 2003.


Carleton University - (left) April 2005, (right) April 2003


Carleton University - (left) April 2005, (right) April 2003

So once I finished taking these pictures and was biking down hill reasonably fast, I all of a sudden hit this:


End of the road

I slammed on the breaks and stopped just short of the water covered path. It looks like it gets atleast 3 feet deep. The water usually comes no where near this part of the path. When I turned around and started biking reluctantly back up the hill, city workers were coming to put up a barricade. Where were they 2 minutes ago?

I enjoyed the ride, until I was about 5 minutes from my house. Some guy almost killed me with his car turneing right out of a parking lot. He looked right at me, turned right and stopped right smack in the middle of the bike lane. i swerved and put out my hand so I didn't crash into his car and it hit the back quater panel of a car. It made a really loud bang, and hopefully dented the shit out it, but i don't think it was very hard. As I biked by I gave him the "what the hell are you thinking" look, with a shrug and he flipped my the bird. What the hell, he almost kills me and gets mad at me. He had the yield sign.

So I shrug it off and keep biking up the hill. He was stopped at the light so I got significantly ahead of him, and as he passes he slows down, opens his window and calls me an asshole. I looked right at him and said, "well yeah, but your a fucking idiot." I don't think he liked that.

At the time I wish I had a nice rock to throw at his car, but thinking back on it I wish I had taken out my camera and taken a picture of him. Then I could post it all over the internet. That would be a good website. www.assholedriversottawa.com. You could post pictures of dumbasses like that, along with the story, and hopefully someone they know sees it.

I think I'm going to keep my camera ready next time I go for a ride.

All-in-all, other than that and almost riding straight into the river, it was a nice relaxing bike ride, and a good break from studying.

Texas Hold'em

Well I am kind of happy and upset all at the same time. I played $5 buy in texas hold'em poker for the third time today. I was quite thrilled when I was not the first one out. In fact, I was the last one out.

I was quite thrilled that I came in second. Now, I may have left empty handed, but for once I left the poker game with dignity.

Chances are I could have played a lot smarter, but I am not at that level yet.

I am however disapointed that I lost to the very drunk, possibly more, guy. There is no way you can call a bluff on him because he says the same thing every time.

"Woah... I have to put in five to see more cards?"

"I don't want to pay for this shit"

"hey hey, that pot is mine."

I really can't compete with that.

I think I need to practice the game before I can win. I know there are all sorts of statistics invloved, but I have usually had a few beers by that point and the whole calculating in the head thing isn't going to work.

I don't remember stats class, all I remember is the prof's stupid "Culture Breaks". I don't think he really understood statistics, I think he was just fortunate that no one with authority ever watched one of his lectures.

Made it through the Night

Despite several close calls, I made it through without my head exploding. I was kind of worried at a couple points, but actually got to bed at a decent hour (1:30) and woke up a little early. Now don't mistake this for completely finishing the assignment. Not even close.

Now it is my nature to hand in an incomplete assignment, but I will make an exception this time. I probably did a lot more than quite a few people. So things should be borderline ok. I just need to study very very hard for the final.

I am excited about being almost done my undergrad, but for some sick reason I have decided to do graduate work, so it's not like I won't be back again next year for more punishment.

I just wanted to let you all know that I made it through the night with my head intact, though my brain may have imploded, I still seem to be functioning alright.

I Think My Head is Going to Explode

I give it about 3 hours. It's going to be really gooey. I have 2 days of class left but I don't know if I'll make it past tonight.

I am well aware of the fact that I should be working wrather than writting this.

I think the head explosion is a good way out. Spontaneous cranium eruption. I think that'll look good as the COD.

25 more days. I need to start thinking about a job. Will it ever end? How long till I retire? 35 or so years? Let the count down begin.

Sunday Sports.

Sunday has quickly become my day for sports, and posting comments about these sports. I apologize to those who this doesen't interest, but I like to blab about them.

Another good round of Formula One. Could it be, the almighty Schumacher has fallen? With only one points scoring finish so far this year (in three races), it really doesen't look all that promising. It is still early, but Renault seems to be quite a force, as does, potentially, Toyota. I am impressed with this change in events. I just wish my BMW-Williams boys were doing a little better.

BAR seems to have fallen to the curse of second place. Just Like McLaren-Mercedes did last season, after finishing second to Ferrari in the previous season, BAR is plummeting after a constructors second place showing last year. I see a trend. Too bad Jenson Button didn't get out of there.

And of course there is Jaques. It's too bad. Villenuve should have never gone to BAR. He needs to settle down, drive clean and at least score some points, build up some confidence. Either that, or that one championship was a fluke, but I doubt that. He needs a good car behind him, and Sauber isn't it.

A pretty exciting NASCAR race today too. But then again, Bristol is always an exciting track. I was a little upset when Micheal Waltrip pushed Jimmie Johnson up into the wall. It wasn't even for position. At least 48 still got a top 10 finish, but I think he had a good shot at a win, or at least a top 5.

Next on the sunday sporting agenda: Baseball opening day. I'm not really a big fan of the Red Sox or the Yankees, but I will cheer for the one I hate less. Go Sox. I hope it's hard fought and reminiscent of the latter half of the AL finals last year.

I won't watch too many regular season baseball games, but this one, just because I miss TV sports. I wish hockey playoffs were on right now.

And hopefully my fantasy baseball team can do alright this year. I need a good season for once.

Well, back to the books for me. If you made it this far you must be interested in the sports, so there is no need to apologize for the sports post. I imagine this will become almost a weekly event.

New Links.

In my procrastination I have added a couple more links to my blogs i visit. I like to keep this updated because thats how I like to get to the blogs I read regularly.

I mentioned The Rivals before. Two guys who love baseball, ones a Red Sox fan, the other a Yankee fan. Sounds like it has sitcom potential.

Brians Ramblings. Some interesting personal blogging.

Bear Tracks. another personal blog. "Musing" with all the others.

And a couple links I found from Tony over at BMNB. Hot Ambercrombie Chick - How can you go wrong? I haven't read this in too much detail, but the site (and the author) look good. I will look at it more later. And I wasn't always like this... by a mother of a rather large family. Quite funny. The MILF article made me laugh.

Hippo 1, Dwarf 0

I stumbled across this at urbandictionary.com. I don't even know how I ended up there. But does it matter? This is funny.


urbandictionary.com

I don't know how true it is, but I laughed pretty hard. It is funny either way. I'll admit, I feel kinda bad for the little guy, but that really is quite a way to go.

I don't know what I'd think if I was in the audience, but I bet I would think it was part of the show. Thats not something you see every day.

I just did a quick google for "Hippo Eats Dwarf", there are several links to this article, and even a band named Hippo Eats Dwarf, but no one seems to know for sure if it is real or not. I can't imagine it is, but part of me wants to believe.

A Killer Lineup - Almost Literally

TSN is showing a charity hockey game on TV right now. It's being played in Hamilton at Ivor Winn stadium. Thats right. An outdoor game in Hamilton in April. Brilliant. It's really windy and pouring rain. They actually have several big name players including Curtis Joseph and Martin Brodeur and of course Doug Gilmour.

The funniest part is that the have Marty McSorley and Todd Bertuzzi on the same team. Think about it.

A pretty slow game so far.

I can't imagine it will get much better.

How I have been procrastinating.

I just finished my last full week of undergrad. I am quite excited about this. I have Monday's off, and then three classes on Tuesday (as opposed to the usual four), and then a progect meeting and my last class on wed (which is actually a friday schedual)...

Well I am almost done, and this is exciting. At least for me.

I went indoor rock climbing today after class. I haven't been in about two years. It was fun, but it really hurt. I am sore all over. It's amazing how many muscles I can hurt in the 30 foot climb.

I was thinking that I really should work on my finger strength and stuff so that next time I go, I can do better. I should put up a finger board in the basement and work on my upper body strength. It could be fun. It's not likely going to happen, but it could be fun.

So I got home, made pizza for dinner, and was about to hit the books, then my roomate and his girlfriend asked me to go to the mall, then play pool. Of course I went. And I am not a big fan of malls.

I really need to get this work done, but I just don't want to. So I typed this.

Now I have a couple beers in me and I am really tired. Maybe I should just go to bed and try again in the morning. It isn't likely to happen, but I am going to try to get some work done.

STOP DISTRACTING ME!

Actually, I kinda like it. Keep it up.